Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-12-02

WtuJ upotoAAo '~
things-a peace-offering to my
jamie.
opened the door. l could never
make you comprehend the terrible
loneliness aud emptiness of that
little roomy-Jamie was gone.
I alone knew OF the dangerous
somnambulic habits of my son-a
habit that began in infancy, aud
that, in boyhood, made him a Grip
pie for life-and now in heartrend-
ing tones l called to my friends to
aid me in my frantic search from
garrett to cellar-but to no avail.
Suddenly the belle of the village
"a miss full of nerves and fancies
came rushing into the house
screaming "a ghost! a ghost"
"Where?" l cried, feeling sure II
was jamie she had seen.
"Moving in short, slow steps
along the scaHoldiug of the mill
oh. l am sick with fright"
"Save him, oh, my God, save
him." l cried, rushing out to the
mill. followed by a crowd OF awe
stricken men and women.
Yes, there he was, high IN on
the outside scaffolding of the mill,
walking with wide unseelng eyes,
along the moonlit plank. My very
life.blood seemed clogged about my
heart | could not stir nor beseech
the men to 90 after him-my tongue
cleaved to the roof Of my mouth
On he came towards a plank that
was laid far out over the deep,
sluggish waters Of the lace-the
noise of his crutches ringing out In
the awful silence as each step
brought him nearer to death.
Tramp-tramp-he was almost
to the end now, yet we dared not
move, lest we should wake him and
make death a certainty. Nearer,
nearer, every wrong | had done
hun, every sharp word | had un'
Willingly given him, came crowd
ing now upon my heart and soul
like so many accusing devils,
torturlng me to agony as | stood
there watching him draw slowly
toward the end of the scaffold.
One more step will bring him to
his death-ob, my darling my
darling clutched Toms sleeve
Tom, who stood there numb and
almost paralyzed. Suddenly over
the roof, with cat.like step, crept
the lithesome figure OF a woman,
who came to the edge, swung her
self down to the scaToldIng, and
was close upon him as he stood
upon the verge of eternity. With
wonderful presence Of mind, she
wrapped her strong right arm firm
J ~ around a projecting beam, then
quickly seized him with the other.
knew from hissudden tremor that
he had awakened. saw him turn
confusedly and look about him,
down, far down into the black line
of the deep, sluggish race.
With a cry he reeled like a
drunken man, his crutches fell from
his uplIfted hands, his poor crippled
limbs tOttered beneath the unac-
customed weight of his body, and,
though she strained desperately to
support him, the one single lett
arm was too weak for so great a
burden, aud down they fell-he and
the wOman-dOwn, down into the
deep, black water. Then | tainted.
When opened my eyes again
the men we're carrying jamie and
Dora, dripping and water-soaked,
but living still, thank God, into
the house. l fell on my knees before
them as they lay glistening with
water drops on the little horse
hair sofas, and kissed the dear ones
who we're saved for me and cried
like a baby for their forgiveness.
Dora drew my face to hers and
whispered softly in my ear: "Our
mother !" and then | knew was
the happiest old woman on this
fair earth. BY and by her pretty
color ali came back and she slipped
away from us to change her drench-
ed clothes for dry ones.
And Jamiei When he was warm
and dry he lay upon the sofa, his
face lit up with u smile that glOri'
fed the little room; it spoke voice.
lessly of his sudden, blisstul happi-
ness, and the eyes that he turned
upon his foolish old mother were
brim full of tender love aud thank.
| fitness.
Thus ended one Thanksgiving
Day aud when the next one came
my daughter Dora wasthe sweetest,
most sensible little bride that ever
gained her mothers love by her nm
selfish heroism.
THE OLDEST MULE on EARTH.
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